Ephesians 1

King James Version

Full text for Ephesians Chapter 1

1¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2Grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.

3¶ Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:

4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:

11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

15¶ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],

21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,

23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul opens his epistle to the Ephesians with a salutation, followed by a doxology praising God for spiritual blessings in Christ. He highlights God's eternal choice, predestination for adoption, and redemption through Christ's blood, sealed by the Holy Spirit as an earnest of inheritance. Paul then prays for the believers to receive wisdom and revelation, that they may comprehend God's calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the exceeding power demonstrated in Christ's resurrection and exaltation as head over the church.

Medium Summary

The Apostle Paul begins by greeting the saints in Ephesus, wishing them grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He then offers a profound doxology, blessing God for having chosen believers in Christ before the world's foundation and predestinating them for adoption as children, all to the praise of His glorious grace. Through Christ's blood, believers receive redemption and the forgiveness of sins, according to God's rich grace, which also reveals His mystery to gather all things in Christ. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which serves as an earnest of their inheritance until its full redemption. Paul expresses gratitude for their faith and love, and prays for them to receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation. His prayer seeks for their understanding to be enlightened, that they might know the hope of God's calling, the glory of His inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power. This power is exemplified in Christ's resurrection, His exaltation above all authority, and His appointment as head over the church, which is His body.

Long Summary

The Epistle to the Ephesians commences with Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, addressing the saints in Ephesus and the faithful in Christ Jesus, conveying wishes of grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter immediately transitions into a magnificent doxology, where Paul blesses God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for having blessed believers with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. Central to this blessing is God's eternal purpose: He chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world, predestinating them unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, all to the praise of His glorious grace. In Christ, believers experience redemption through His blood, which grants the forgiveness of sins, aligning with the abundant riches of God's grace, wherein He has abounded in wisdom and prudence. God has revealed the mystery of His will, purposing to gather together all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth, in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Furthermore, believers have obtained an inheritance in Christ, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will, again, to the praise of His glory. Those who trust in Christ, having heard the word of truth—the gospel of their salvation—are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. This Holy Spirit serves as the earnest, or down payment, of their inheritance, guaranteeing its full redemption until the purchased possession is fully realized, ultimately redounding to the praise of God's glory. Following this profound theological exposition, Paul expresses his continuous gratitude for the Ephesians' faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints, making mention of them in his prayers. His specific prayer request is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might grant them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. He prays for the eyes of their understanding to be enlightened, so they may fully comprehend the hope of His calling, the rich glory of His inheritance among the saints, and the exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe. This mighty power is precisely that which God exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Christ is exalted far above all principality, power, might, and dominion, and every name that can be named, both in this present age and in the age to come. God has subjected all things under Christ's feet and appointed Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is described as His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.

Core Concepts

  • Divine PredestinationGod's eternal purpose to choose believers in Christ before the world's foundation and predestine them for adoption as children, according to His good pleasure.
  • Redemption and ForgivenessThe act by which believers receive freedom from sin through the shedding of Jesus Christ's blood, resulting in the forgiveness of their transgressions according to God's rich grace.
  • Sealing of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is given to believers as a divine mark and guarantee, serving as an 'earnest' or down payment of their future inheritance until its full redemption.
  • The Mystery of God's WillGod's revealed plan to gather all things, both in heaven and on earth, into one in Christ, to be accomplished in the 'dispensation of the fulness of times.'
  • Christ's Exaltation and HeadshipGod's demonstration of His mighty power in raising Christ from the dead, seating Him at His right hand above all authority, and appointing Him as the supreme head over the church.
  • The Church as Christ's BodyThe description of the church as the body of Christ, signifying its organic union with Him and its role as the 'fulness of him that filleth all in all.'